Firewood moisture content

[alderman]

I live in NW Oregon where it is always moist and damp.
I bought a moisture tester and it arrived today.
My outside wood had a moisture of 22-26%.
I checked some wood that was put directly in the shed last spring and the moisture was between 16.5 and 17.2 %.
I split a small piece and got an inside moisture of 14%

Some wood in another shed that has been stored for several years averaged 13.9% when checked from the end.

Everything I've read says to shoot for under 20% so it looks like I'm doing okay with my storage method.



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[Sandhill Crane]

Please check the center of an outdoor piece?
I had some read 14% on the end and 28% in the middle.

 

[CaseyForrest]

As Crane mentioned, the proper way to check moisture is the center.... of a fresh split.

 

[Upholstery guy]

I bought some green pine I know the moistue content is high but I dryied some pieses by the stove and they still won't burn. what do I do to get it to burn I had a hot fire too but it won't catch I think I got burned with some green wood.

 

[unclemoustache]

Oh no - I suspect White Spider is going to blow this thread up.....

 

[john taliaferro]

Thats as bad as asking what kind of premix oil you use in the chainsaw forum.You might put it in the oven for a time , weigh it first then hourly and when it stops loosing weight it might burn .

 

[svk]

As stated it's important to check the MC from the middle of a fresh split.

My outdoor wood won't dry below 13-14 percent. Indoor it will get dry enough to the point that the meter won't work.

 

[Marshy]

I bought some green pine I know the moistue content is high but I dryied some pieses by the stove and they still won't burn. what do I do to get it to burn I had a hot fire too but it won't catch I think I got burned with some green wood.

Split the word, stack the wood and let it season till next year. There's no shortcut for seasoning wood, drying it by the fire will not help. Your going to cause creosote buildup and a potential fire hazard if you try to burn that green pine.

 

[Highbeam]

Also, the wood must be at 70 degrees (in the house temperature) or else the readings will be falsely low. Must be warmed and a fresh split face.

 

[allstihl]

so you spent a few thousand on saws and then got a $29 moisture meter . good luck .air temp will skew your readings .at the shop we buy several thousand ft of hardwood every year . my meter cost $200 and adjusts for temp .moisture content can break us on a job . when I check my firewood I know for sure what the mc is .

 

[066blaster]

I have some 3 year oak that still sizzles. And its been under a roof for the last year. We had a really wet fall. It probaly absorbed more moisture than it lost. I also have been burning 2 cords of honey locust that has been split and stacked for 2 years brought in my garage in october when it was dry, and it isnt exactly bone dry either. Im gonna try covering the tops of my piles late summer and see if that helps.

 

[midwest_170]

so you spent a few thousand on saws and then got a $29 moisture meter . good luck .air temp will skew your readings .at the shop we buy several thousand ft of hardwood every year . my meter cost $200 and adjusts for temp .moisture content can break us on a job . when I check my firewood I know for sure what the mc is .

I've managed to burn wood without a moisture meter at all. Not sure how I've managed but might have something to do with leaving it in stacks for 3 to 5 years

 

[Sandhill Crane]

My uncovered wood has been soaking up rain water for a month...
Maybe it will finally freeze dry tonight, and be done.

Edit: Done! As in seasoned.

 

[jrider]

I have some 3 year oak that still sizzles. And its been under a roof for the last year. We had a really wet fall. It probaly absorbed more moisture than it lost. I also have been burning 2 cords of honey locust that has been split and stacked for 2 years brought in my garage in october when it was dry, and it isnt exactly bone dry either. Im gonna try covering the tops of my piles late summer and see if that helps.

Just curious how long are your pieces and how large/small are your splits?

 

[066blaster]

Just curious how long are your pieces and how large/small are your splits?

Medium , 4 inch ,16-18

 

[Little Al]

Split the word, stack the wood and let it season till next year. There's no shortcut for seasoning wood, drying it by the fire will not help. Your going to cause creosote buildup and a potential fire hazard if you try to burn that green pine.

Keeping the stored wood clear of the ground also aids drying/seasoning I have also found air circulation to be a good wood dryer

 

[alderman]

At the paper mill where I work, incoming chips are dried in ovens and weighed to determine moisture content. Depending on how long the wood has been down the moisture content is around 50%.



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[alderman]

The cheap moisture meter I bought obviously may not be accurate but if it consistently shows a difference after the wood is seasoned it should put me in the ball park of what is acceptable. I generally only sell a couple of cord a year if I have extra.
I have some wood I just cut the other day and once I split it I will check to see what it reads green.



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[jrider]

Medium , 4 inch ,16-18

That's crazy that your 3 year old oak still hisses. Most of my 1 year old oak stored outdoors in windrows doesn't hiss and it seems our sizes are about the same. Everyone's conditions vary so greatly.

 

[svk]

The cheap moisture meter I bought obviously may not be accurate but if it consistently shows a difference after the wood is seasoned it should put me in the ball park of what is acceptable. I generally only sell a couple of cord a year if I have extra.
I have some wood I just cut the other day and once I split it I will check to see what it reads green.



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I am surprised Whitespider hasn't dropped in here.

As you stated, a cheap MM is not going to give you 100 percent accurate counts for any species but it gives you a great idea of how your splits are doing relative to where they started. And I have found that "feel" can mislead a person sometimes. I had some ash that clanked when whacked across itself but when you split it there is still a visible pocket of wet wood in the middle.